Zelenskiy visits Britain as Burnham pledges fresh support for Ukraine

LONDON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Ukrainian ‌President Volodymyr ​Zelenskiy ​will meet British Prime Minister Andy Burnham in London on Wednesday as Britain looks to reaffirm ‌its support for Ukraine, including with the promise ⁠of a new package of surface-to-air missiles.

The meeting comes at a ‌difficult time for Zelenskiy. US ‌President Donald Trump said at the weekend he should be replaced as Ukraine's leader, days after cutting a ​deal with Moscow to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports.

Britain has said it does not support the ⁠US-Russia diesel deal, and called for allies to keep up the economic pressure ​on Moscow.

"My message to the Ukrainian people could not be clearer, we are with you for ​as long as it takes, and ‌we will go further and faster in our support to back your courageous fight for ⁠peace in Europe," Burnham said in a statement before the meeting.

Burnham said backing for Ukraine was vital to keeping people ⁠in Britain safe and pledged further military support.

He announced the planned delivery ​of £45 million ($59.60 million) of surface-to-air missiles used to target jet-powered Russian drones, with £10 million of that package fast-tracked to meet an urgent ‌need in Ukraine.

Burnham has asked officials to draw up further sanctions, military aid, and fiscal ‌support, and his foreign and finance ministers have been ⁠lobbying allies to follow ‌Britain in banning maritime ​services that support Russian liquefied natural gas exports.

($1 = 0.7551 pounds)

(Reporting by William James; Editing by Aidan ‌Lewis)

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